The Urban Garden Farmers Market provides South Bend’s west side community with a place to buy fresh produce direct from producers in a friendly, open-air environment; and backyard gardeners and small farmers with a direct market for their goods. Saturday Market: June 13th - October 10th from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at the intersection of Orange and Meade Streets in South Bend, Indiana.

“The supermarket represents the season of the world. The farmers market is the season of your world.”–Deborah Madison, author and chef

"It's my gift, and it all comes from my spirit," Dolson added as she prepared to sell her tasty treats on an unseasonably warm October morning.

Dolson and the other Urban Market vendors and patrons will be able to buy and sell for a couple of more weeks.

The market, which was supposed to close for the season last weekend, will remain open until Oct. 23, according to Donna Ring, manager of the market.

Ring said vendors and customers approached her and asked that the market's season be extended. Ring complied in part because the market's business has been good and because all of the people seem to enjoy coming together.Dolson said she enjoys the friendly atmosphere. "We're just like a family," she said.

Jason Ashley, a New Carlisle resident who grew up on the west side of South Bend, said he likes coming back to his old neighborhood to sell his giant pumpkins, potatoes, gourds and flowers.

Ashley said he has grandparents who still live in the neighborhood, and they persuaded him to set up shop at the market.

"There is also a market in New Carlisle that is kind of small, so we wanted to have a booth at both of them," Ashley says.

He added that the price of setting up a booth at the Urban Market is reasonable and the people are friendly.Eugene Baughman, owner of Pa's Vegetable Patch, said he also sells his wares at other markets, but he comes to the Urban Market to give residents on the west side a chance to buy organic vegetables. Baughman's booth featured peppers, pumpkins and spaghetti sauce that he and his daughter made.

Baughman, a regular, said business has been good.

"People want to get away from manufactured foods," he said. "And by that I mean food grown in California and Florida, because they can get fresh and ripe vegetables here."

Edie Sutton, an extension educator for Purdue Extension of St. Joseph County, said she has been impressed by the market's growth.

"It has been very busy for a new market, and I think it's a good way to bring fresh produce to the west side," she added. "This also gives merchants another place to sell."Olivia Bradley said the chance to sell products from her mother's store, Marigold's, brought her to the Urban Market. Saturday was her first time, and she plans to return for the final two weeks. "We will see what sells and bring more of it."

Customer Jim Gray was at the market with his wife, Carol. Gray said it has been his goal to start an indoor farmer's market on the west side that would provide year-round space for vendors who sell food and crafts: "I'm still working on it."